A Russian general has been arrested and placed in pre-trial detention on fraud charges, part of a sprawling investigation into the extortion of soldiers, the RBC news outlet reported Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Major General Alexander Dembitsky headed a recently created army corps within the Leningrad Military District. Legally attached to his unit was Yastreb, a small private mercenary group.
It remains unclear when Dembitsky was discharged from the military. Russian investigators have not commented publicly on the case.
According to RBC, Yastreb’s founder, Alexei Marushchenko, testified against Dembitsky as part of a plea deal in a separate criminal probe.
Marushchenko faces multiple charges, including murder, weapons trafficking, large-scale fraud, extortion, kidnapping and abuse of power.
At least 10 people are being prosecuted for crimes tied to Yastreb,…
Insurance fraud involves making false or exaggerated claims to an insurance provider.
- Hard Fraud: Someone deliberately causes a loss (e.g., setting fire to a warehouse or staging a car accident) specifically to collect a payout.
- Soft Fraud: More common and often viewed as “victimless” by the perpetrator. It involves exaggerating a legitimate claim, such as overstating the value of stolen items in a home burglary to cover the deductible.